Irish Fishing Records.

      Below is a listing of the current, (2002), Irish Records. You can see just how many Irish records were set in Kinsale! Also, 2002 saw the setting of 5 Irish records.

     Note that there is no differentiation between sea and shore caught specimens.  The Irish Specimen Fish Committee for 2000 received 559 claims, ratifying 508 which included 5 records. Unfortunately, 51 were rejected for noncompliance with the rules - so be careful that you fill out your paperwork correctly and completely, get the skipper's signature and make sure the weighing scale in of the proper type, is "in-date", and that the weighing is done ashore and is witnessed.

      Note that from 2003, the amended "Fair Angling" rules come into affect. The changes - specifically rule #2 - relate to big game fish such as bluefin tuna.

     Finally, for those anglers whose claims were accepted for the year 2002, the Annual Presentation of Awards will be held on Saturday, 01-March 2003, at 2:30pm at the Doyle Burlington Hotel, Sussex Road, Dublin. For more information, please phone Dublin 01-8379206.

Species      Irish Record lbs-ozs. Date Location County Specimen Size Bass 17-13 21-Oct-00 Doughmore Strand Clare 10-00 Angler Fish 42.985kg 03-Nov-85 Belfast Lough   40-00 Bass 17-13 21-Oct-00 Doughmore Strand Clare 10-00 Black Sole 6.32 lb 28-Dec-86 Ballycotton Cork ` 2-00 Bluemouth 2.4lb 26-Jun-02 Caherciveen Kerry 1.98 Brill 9-08-00 08-Sep-84 Causeway Antrim 5-00 Coalfish 31.45 lb 18-Aug-02 Leap Cork 15-00 Cod 42-00-00 ??-1921 Ballycotton Cork 20-00 Conger 72-00-00 01-Jun-14 Valentia Kerry 40-00 Dab 2lb-5.5oz 2-Oct-02 Cork Harbour Cork 1-08 Dogfish, Spur 21.25lb 10-Aug-02 Dun Laoighre Dublin 12-00 Dogfish, Greater Sptd. 23-12-00 29-May-82 Valentia Kerry 3-08 Dogfish, Lesser Sptd. 36620 26-Jul-82 Valentia Kerry 16-00 Flounder 4.91 lb 21-Aug-79 Ballyteigue Wexford 3-00 Garfish (Belone Bellone) 3-10-04 16-Sep-67 Kinsale Cork 2-04 Garfish (Belone Svetovidovi) 1.11 lb 05-Aug-94 Courtmacsherry Cork 0-14 Gurnard, Tub 12-03-08 08-Aug-73 Achill   5-00 Gurnard, Grey 3-01-00 21-Sep-67 Rosslare Wexford 1-08 Gurnard, Red 3-09-08 17-Jul-68 Belmullet   2-00 Haddock 10-13-08 15-Jul-64 Kinsale Cork 7-00 Hake 25-05-08 28-Apr-62 Belfast Lough   10-00 Halibut 156-00-00 23-Jul-72 Belmullet   50-00 Herring 0.425 kg 11-Jul-86 Rathlin Island   0-12 John Dory 7-08-00 12-Aug-84 Kilala Bay   4-00 Ling 48lb-8oz 29-May-00 Courtmacsherry Cork 25-00 Mackerel 4-02-00 18-Sep-79 Ballycotton Cork 2-08 Megrim 1.85kg 26-Jul-87 Kilala Bay   1-12 Monkfish 73-00-00 01-Jun-80 Fenit Kerry 50-00 Mullet, Grey(Thick Lip) 9.10 lb 08-Jun-72 Killybegs Pier   5-00 Mullet, Red n/a nil nil   1-00 Plaice 8.23 23-Jan-82 Ballycotton Pier Cork 4-00 Pollack 19-03-00 ?-1904 Ballycotton Cork 12-00 Pouting 4-13-08 02-Apr-83 Kilmore Quay   3-00 Ray, Thornback 37-00-00 28-May-61 Kinsale,(Ling) Cork 20-00 Ray, Blonde 36-08-00 09-Sep-64 Cork Harbour Cork 25-00 Ray, Cuckoo 5-11-00 03-Aug-75 Causeway Antrim 4-08 Ray, Electric 40kg 24-Aug-02 Crosshaven, Cork 20-00 Ray, Homelyn (Spotted) 8.28 lb 28-Sep-83 Cork Harbour, Cork 5-00 Ray, Undulate 18-00-00 11-Jun-77 Fenit, Kerry Kerry 14-00 Ray, Painted 17.21 lb 29-Aug-94 Garryvoe, Cork 10-00 Ray, Sting 64-00-00 06-Jun-93 Tralee Kerry 30-00 Ray's Bream 6-04-04 26-Aug-78 Valentia Kerry 5-00 Red Sea Bream 9-06-00 24-Aug-63 Valentia Kerry 4-08 Rockling, Three Bearded 3-01-00 11-May-90 Dunmore East Waterford 1-12 Scad 1.97 lb 06-Sep-86 Clonakilty Cork 1-08 Shad, Allis n/a nil nil nil 4-00 Shad, Twaite 2.87 lb 05-May-85 St.Mullins   2-02 Shark, Blue 206-00-00 07-Oct-59 Achill   100-00 Shark, Mako n/a nil nil nil 200-00 Shark, Porbeagle 365-00-00 ?-1932 Achill   150-00 Shark, Six Gilled 154-00-00 28-Aug-68 Kinsale Cork 100-00 Shark, Smoothhound 16.58lb 25-Sep-00 Carne Wexford 7-00 Shark, Thresher n/a nil nil nil 120-00 Skate, Common 221-00-00 ?-1913 Ballycotton Cork Protected Skate, White 165-00-00 07-Aug-66 Clew Bay   120-00 Skate, Long Nose n/a nil nil nil 80-00 Smooth Hound 13-12-00 27-Jun-91 Five Mile Point   7-00 Stone Basse 10-13-00 02-Aug-89 Kinsale Cork 8-00 Tope 66-08-00 15-Jul-79 Carlingford Lough   40-00 Torsk 10-11-00 17-Sep-95 Port-na-Blagh   6-00 Trigger Fish 4.83 lb 30-Sep-95 BallyDavid Kerry 3-04 Blue Fin Tuna /Tunny(Giant>350lb) 968 lb!!! 05-Oct-01 Donegal Bay Donegal 100-00 Turbot 34-00-00 09-Jun-82 Cork Harbour Cork 18-00 Whiting 4-14-08 19-Mar-81 Kenmare Bay Kerry 3-00 Wrasse, Ballan 4.3 kg 20-Aug-83 Clougher Head   4-12 Wrasse, Cuckoo 2.01 lb 09-Aug-92 Carnsore Point Wexford 1-04

     We would like to thank the Irish Specimen Fish Committee, an independant voluntary body, for the use of its data in the preparation of the table above. You can send a donation to the IFSC at the following address:- Balnagowan House, Modbhi Boreen, Modbhi Road, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. And it is in everyone's interest!

Thank You.